


Names and New Memories

by Bee_Charmer



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bartender Kara Danvers, CEO Lena Luthor, F/F, Flirting Turned First Date, Fluff and Humor, Reporter Kara Danvers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25718584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bee_Charmer/pseuds/Bee_Charmer
Summary: The last person Kara expected to see walking into the brewery on a slow night was Lena Luthor.TheLena Luthor who had just moved to Metropolis to save her infamous family's company.What Kara expected even less was to have one of the best nights of her life.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 51
Kudos: 522





	Names and New Memories

Why customers walk into an almost empty bar and sit at the one seat that’s clearly dirty—empty glass, remnants of a thoroughly enjoyed dinner, crumpled napkins scattered around—Kara would never know. It was a long-running joke, yes, but it was almost more annoying to watch happen when the dinner rush had just ended and she and Winn had cleaned almost every spot at the bar and every table in the small taproom.

All save the one spot at the bar the new guy decided would be his. 

Of course.

Smiling, Kara quickly cleared the disturbingly wet napkins and tiny shreds of a coaster away from right in front of the new guest. 

“Hi! Welcome in!” Sliding a menu over from one of the many clean seats right next to the new guy, Kara continued, “Here’s an updated beer list and if you’re hungry, you can find the food menu on the other side.” 

The man barely looked up as Kara said hi, and she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that the grumbling sound he made as he scooted his stool forward was a pleasant, “Thank you! I’ll let you know if I have questions.”

Kara really hoped he wouldn’t ask questions. 

She also really hoped Winn would stop bothering Alex in the kitchen. 

Unfortunately , luck wasn’t on Kara’s side and in the post-dinner lull, Winn seemed far more interested in trying to convince Alex, yet again, that a brewery was a great place to feature molecular gastronomy on the menu instead of things Kara found perfectly reasonable. Foods like burgers and nachos. And maybe potstickers if Kara could ever get Alex to try to recreate those really great cheeseburger potstickers Kara saw go by on her Instagram feed that one time. 

Right as Kara was about to drag Winn out of the kitchen herself because she got the new guy a beer and she definitely didn’t want to be the one who had to take his food order, Winn emerged. 

He’d clearly been thrown out of the kitchen based on the way the door was still swinging as he said, “C’mon, Alex, you understand chemistry!”

“No luck?” Kara asked.

Winn scowled. “No, she still insists it doesn’t make sense.” 

“I think she gets her chemistry kick by helping design the beers.” 

“Ugh, I know! But, Kara, what if we could be the brewery that figured out out to make a clear pretzel!” 

“Does anyone want to eat a clear pretzel?” 

“Maybe?” 

Laughing, Kara said, “Okay well how about I let you get us a tiny drink and I’ll be super nice and get the new guy’s food order even though he didn’t even look me in the eye and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to recognize if an alien was asking for his food order?” 

“Deal.” Win agreed, grabbing two small tasting glasses. “You want your usual disgusting raspberry grisette?”

“It’s not disgusting!” 

“Look, you might not think so and there are apparently people who agree with you but I would rather not drink a sour when there is an amazing, award-winning, baltic porter on tap.” Winn said as he pulled the handle for the porter in question. 

Barely two seconds into the pour, the keg kicked, foam and dark beer sputtering from the tap.

Winn held up his hand. “Kara, don’t say a word.” 

She was laughing too hard to say anything. 

Eventually, Kara nudged Winn toward the walk-in. “Go swap the keg, I can pour my own beer.” 

Before filling her glass, Kara asked the guy she definitely didn’t want to talk to but agreed to talk to anyway if he needed anything. Although Kara would not have readily admitted it, she was relieved when he said no. So she filled her five ounce glass and prepared to enjoy one of the many perks of working at a brewery on a slow night. 

The next customer to walk through the door caused a shift in the air, a calling for Kara’s attention, and when Kara gave in and looked over, it was a small miracle that she did not drop her class. 

_Holy smokes._

Rationally, Kara knew she needed to do something, anything, to greet the woman who looked torn between entering the bar with more confidence than anyone Kara knew or hiding in the farthest corner where no one could bother her. Really, Kara knew she should do something other than blatantly staring. But rationality went out the window when a woman who looked exactly like Lena Luthor walked in. 

No, not just looked like Lena Luthor, was Lena Luthor. 

The Lena Luthor who had just moved to Metropolis and completely rebranded her family’s company after it came to light that her mother and brother, to put it lightly, were involved in some seriously illegal shenanigans. 

The Lena Luthor who had so far denied every reporter in Metropolis the chance to talk to her. 

The Lena Luthor who had apparently decided to go for the bold approach and who was walking straight for the bar. 

Winn’s voice snapped Kara back to attention. “I just swapped the keg for the porter so we should be good to go with it again here in a minute.”

“Right.” One word was all Kara could manage. 

“You okay?” Winn asked. 

“Mmhmm.” 

Winn finally looked beyond Kara and saw who was a few steps away from the bar. 

He practically squeaked, “Holy shit that’s Lena Luthor.“ 

“Yes, yes it is. I’ve got this. Go do…”—Kara pushed him back toward the kitchen—“something else.” 

Kara barely got herself together enough to have a menu in hand as Lena settled herself in the first seat at the bar. 

“Hey, welcome in!” Kara said, pushing her glassed up the bridge of her nose and trying not to stumble over her words.

Kara managed well enough and the slight hint of a smile on lips stained an intimidating shade of red gave her the incentive to keep talking. 

“I’m guessing you’ve never been in before?” Kara asked. 

Green eyes flashed with something close to a warning as Lena’s jaw tightened briefly as her hint of a smile vanished. “What makes you ask?”

Kara paused, working through everything running through her mind. Lena looked nervous when she walked in. Instead of some fancy restaurant, she’d chosen a brewpub to walk into. It was a nice brewpub, but not the kind place you expected to find one of the richest people on the planet who so happened to have one of the most hated families. 

Which maybe meant she didn’t want to be found. 

“Oh. I, um.” So much for Kara not fumbling her words. “I would just remember a face like yours.” 

“Just my face? Here I thought this dress made more of an impression.” The way Lena’s expression changed made Kara’s face go hot. 

Kara tried very hard not to think about how, yeah, the dress also did make an impression. 

“Um.” She said. 

Lena leaned onto the bar, her slight smile present once more. “No, I have not been here before.” 

“Right. Okay. Well.” Kara said pointing to the menu and trying to get her brain to function somewhat normally again, “I… I’ll give you a minute to look everything over but let me know if you have any questions.” 

Kara really, really hoped she had questions. 

Lena spoke before Kara could move away. “I do, actually.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Will you judge me if I say I don’t know a thing about beer?” 

Kara, taken aback, laughed. “I would never. Although it might make me wonder why you decided to come to a brewery with no liquor and a wine list that’s hardly impressive.” 

“To be honest, I’m starving, I haven’t fully moved into my new apartment, and this was the closest place that I was told serves great food and I had a chance to… Let’s say it’s a bonus for me that it’s not very busy.” 

“Well maybe I can find you a beer that you won’t absolutely hate while you work on deciding what you want to eat. What’s your usual drink?” 

Kara leaned forward onto the bar out of sheer habit, completely forgetting for a moment exactly who she was leaning toward. 

Then Lena looked at her and suddenly Kara remembered. More embarrassingly, her hand slipped slightly, forcing Kara to make a not so graceful save before her casual lean became a faceplant directly onto the bar. 

Lena’s expression shifted toward something closer to a real smile and Kara noticed how her whole demeanor had softened in the last few minutes. 

Lena said, “It often depends on exactly how shitty my day has been, but scotch is my usual drink. However, I have found myself also enjoying whiskey sours lately.” 

“Sour? I can definitely work with that.” Kara said with more enthusiasm than was probably necessary. 

Kara could feel Winn’s eyes on her but she absolutely refused to acknowledge him as she poured a sample for Lena. 

Sitting a sample of the rather pink beer in front of Lena, Kara said, “Try this. It’s a grisette which isn’t a very common style around here but it’s light, a little sweet and a little sour and nothing at all like what you would expect a beer to taste like. We’ve added a ton of raspberries to this batch to make it a little more special and, well, it happens to be my favorite beer we have on tap right now.” 

“Your favorite, huh? So do you really think I’ll like this or are you just biased?” 

Kara stood a little taller in response to Lena’s raised brow. “Try it and tell me if I’m wrong.” 

Something flashed in Lena’s eyes at the slight challenge and Kara felt her mouth go dry. 

“Damn it.” Lena said as she sat the empty glass back on the bar.

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. I like that a lot.” 

“Guess that means I’m not biased.” 

Lena shrugged. “Or it was a lucky guess.” 

Kara could still feel Winn’s attention on her and she knew that every second she talked to Lena was a second closer to Winn completely losing it and coming over to talk to Lena himself. 

“I know you’re starving so I can let you look over the food while enjoying the beer I definitely knew you would like.” Kara said with a grin, realizing as soon as the words were out of her mouth that she had somehow very easily gone from mildly panicking about _the_ Lena Luthor sitting at her bar to mildly flirting with Lena Luthor. 

Lena. 

Freaking. 

Luthor. 

From Lena’s full smile, she really did not seem to mind. 

Kara was not entirely sure how to process that information. 

“And if I say I eat anything and want to know what food you _definitely_ think I will like, could you do it?” 

“I could try.” 

“Then surprise me. Anything goes.” 

“Hmm. A kale smoothie frozen into the shape of a hockey puck and put on a burger?”

Lena laughed, the sound filling the bar and something in the back of Kara’s mind gave her the sense that it was not often that people got to hear Lena Luthor laugh like that.

“Okay, I admit to looking over the menu as I was walking over here and I know you don’t have anything that weird.”

Her face neutral, Kara said. “There was the one time we had a llama burger.” 

Lena’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Yes.” Kara’s mouth twitched into a grin. They really did have a llama burger as a special one time.

“Is that my dinner for tonight, then?” 

“No, I think I’ll go with something a bit more standard. With the staff-approved tweaks, of course.”

“Of course.” Lena smiled again and Kara found herself staring. 

“I can give you a card to start a tab.” Lena said, reaching for her clutch and pulling Kara’s thoughts away from the many shades of green found in Lena’s eyes. 

Kara shook her head. “Promise not to run out and I’ll just start you one without a card.” 

“I’m too hungry to try to find somewhere else to go. Besides, I have this nice beer I happen to like that I need to finish.” The lightness in Lena’s eyes that had built as she and Kara bantered faded suddenly. “Do you need a name?” 

A heartbeat passed, then two. 

Kara could say she knew exactly who Lena was. She could, but she had a very distinct feeling that was the last thing Lena wanted her to do. 

“I can just call you seat number three.”

A ghost of a smile tugged at Lena’s lips and Kara knew two things: one, she had made the right call and two, she was so freaking screwed. 

__________

“I’ve been taking care of all our other customers so you’re welcome.” 

“Winn, there are five people in here.”

“Yeah, and I had to take care of four of them because you were too busy talking to _Lena Luthor_. Is she one of your regulars? Did Lena Luthor become one of your regulars and you didn’t tell me? Kara! How could you let Lena Luthor become one of your regulars and not tell me!”

Kara quickly shushed him, hoping Lena has not overheard Winn in his excitement. 

“She’s not a regular.” 

“But you were talking to her so much. She was talking to YOU so much.” 

“I know, and that’s something I’m also surprised by. I also think our talking was kinda, sorta more on the flirting side?” 

Winn squeaked. 

For maybe the first time ever, Kara had an hour left in her shift and she was begging someone to walk through the door if only to avoid whatever Winn was about to say next. 

“You mean you have been _flirting_ with Lena Luthor. Can you even handle this? Do you need backup? Do you need me to go talk to her so you can go stand in the walk-in and cool off?” 

“Maybe? I think so? No. And definitely no.” Kara fidgeted with a stack of coasters. “I think she just wants to be left alone and enjoy her night without anyone making a big deal over her. Or her family. Or what she’s doing for her family’s company.” 

Before Winn could respond, Alex put Lena’s sandwich in the service window. If Kara thought that was going to be the end of her conversation with Winn, well, she never should have been so naïve to think so.

“So your idea of not making a fuss over her is to let her order an off-menu dinner item.”

Kara sighed and took the sandwich. “Winn, we add bacon and get a different option for dipping our chips. This is not exactly ‘off-menu’ and besides, she told me to pick her something for dinner.” 

Winn, who had grabbed himself another drink, nearly dropped his glass. “What do you mean she asked you to pick her dinner for you?” 

“Look, she kind of made it a challenge and you know how I am so I need to take this to her and see if I’m right again.” 

“Did you just say _again_? Oh my god.”

Kara pushed her glasses up her nose, ignoring the flush warming her cheeks. “Shut up, Winn.” 

As she walked back toward the bar and back toward Lena whose brow was creased as she looked at something on her phone, Kara heard Winn call into the kitchen, “Hey Alex, guess what your sister did!”

Kara had a feeling she was going to get more than one text from Alex when she got home. 

Lena quickly put her phone away as Kara approached. 

“Dinner’s ready for you, Seat Three.” 

“That wasn’t even ten minutes.” 

“Step one in making sure you would like this was making sure I could get it to you as soon as possible.” 

“And step two?” 

Kara sat the sandwich down in front of her. “Step two is you tasting it.” 

“What is it I’m tasting?”

“Veggie sandwich. With bacon. And I say this as a burger with a side of fries and then another side of nachos kind of person, but this sandwich is one of the best sandwiches you will eat in your life. It actually might be the only time I ever eat vegetables… Oh! And I got you chips with a side of beer cheese for you to dip in.” 

“Is there a step three?” 

“Step three is you letting me know that I am very good at knowing what you will like.” 

Oh no. 

That was really not what Kara meant to say. 

The lift of Lena’s brow did not mask the way her vibrant eyes were undeniably darker than they had been a second prior. 

Kara clenched her jaw. Adjusted her glasses. Ignored the burning in her cheeks. “I, um, yeah. So let me know what you think.” 

Thankfully, Kara noticed the other guys in the bar were due for another round. Any other night she would have tried to avoid them like the plague but she was grateful for the opportunity to do anything that gave her a chance to not think about what she had just said to Lena. 

At least for a few minutes. Because she was obviously going to have to go back. Because she obviously needed to know if Lena liked her food. 

Kara managed to busy herself just long enough for Lena to finish the first half of her sandwich. 

“So?” Kara asked, leaning on the bar once more. 

“So I’m beginning to think you might be more than a lucky guesser.” 

Before Kara could respond, Winn yelled down the bar. “Hey Kara!” 

Kara groaned quietly. 

She apparently was not that quiet, since Lena huffed a laugh before turning her attention back to her dinner. 

Kara made her way toward the kitchen, torn between wanting to throw Winn through a wall or thank him for pulling her away from Lena before she managed to say something that would ruin whatever tension was building between them. 

“So, Kara, Alex will give me fifty dollars to go ask Lena if she will give you the first exclusive interview about her move to Metropolis.” 

Kara gasped. “Winn! No! Alex! She’s just here to enjoy her night and I don’t want her to feel bombarded. I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now and we don’t even know the half of it. She just wanted dinner and a drink and I haven’t even told her I’m trying to become a real reporter and I don’t want her to think I’m just being nice because I want her to give me an interview. I just—“

Alex cut Kara’s rambling short. “Kara, relax. Winn was just joking. That’s not actually what we were talking about but I do appreciate knowing that whatever is going on out there has riled you up this much. But no, I’m trying out a new sauce for an idea I’m working on for the best BLT in this country. Winn ate his half, so go eat yours.” 

“But there’s tomato on it. Why do you think I wold actually be able to give you good feedback? Besides, my shift ends in less than an hour, I can wait.” 

Alex sighed. “Or you can take this opportunity we have so graciously given you to go fill up Lena’s glass, get yourself a beer too, and go awkwardly flirt with a pretty girl.” 

“Oh.” 

“This is already weird enough that I’m actively trying to wingman for my little sister but Winn convinced me. So if you could just take the sandwich and go, that’d be great. I don’t care if you just eat the bread.” Alex practically shoved the meal in Kara’s hands. “I do want to know what you think of the sauce though. So go.” 

Kara was trying very hard not to be nervous. It was a perfectly normal thing for an employee to eat at the bar when it was so slow. Perfectly normal to sit and have a beer. However, it was not perfectly normal for Kara to maybe sit at the bar and have a drink with someone who, yeah, was super pretty and Kara might have a crush on after talking to her for two minutes. Which all meant Kara was very nervous. 

Coming from the floor side of the bar, Kara asked, “Mind if I sit here?” 

Lena’s expression as she turned over her shoulder was completely different than what Kara had seen when she was behind the bar. Lena tensed immediately, eyes guarded and the line of her jaw growing more severe as she tilted her head. 

The change reversed the moment her eyes locked with Kara’s. 

“Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.” Lena said sheepishly. “Please, have a seat.” 

Kara felt her brow crinkle as she sat her food down and asked, “Hey, you okay?” 

“Yeah, I”—Lena gave a hollow laugh—“I was just really enjoying sitting here by myself and was afraid someone found, um, I mean I was afraid someone wanted to ask me something.” 

Kara, still standing, said softly, “I can certainly let you sit here by yourself.” 

“No!” Lena said in a rush, her hand flying out to rest on Kara’s forearm. “No, I don’t mean you. I’ve… I’ve actually really enjoyed your company tonight. Please sit, Kara. It is Kara, right? I might’ve heard your friend yelling at you.” 

“It is.” Kara smiled, as if there was anything else she could do with Lena looking at her like that. “So give me a second to grab myself a beer and join you.” 

Kara poured her beer quickly. It was not common for her to flirt with customers, or anyone really, and the fact that she was currently trying to sort of flirt with someone who was very powerful and very famous was something she was ignoring. However, she had a feeling the comments she knew she would eventually receive from Winn and Alex who were both currently staring at her would not let her forget exactly who she was flirting with. 

As Kara sat down, Lena asked. “So how did I manage to earn some company for dinner?” 

Nodding to the half a sandwich in front of her, Kara said, “The kitchen is trying out a new BLT and I have been asked for my opinion.” 

“Is it as good as this veggie sandwich?” 

Taking a bite that included the least amount of tomato possible, Kara made a show of thinking it over. “I’m afraid I’ll have to tell the chef she has more work to do.” 

“Hmm, I hope the chef is okay with that.”

“She’s my sister, so I hope so too.” 

“Family business, then?” 

Kara reached for her beer. “You could say so. It’s a bit of a complicated family, but Alex’s parents adopted me and when Alex wanted to use her chemistry degree to start a brewery, one thing led to another and now this place is run pretty much exclusively by our little family and friends, like Winn over there, who might as well be.” 

“Sounds like she has a lot of people who really care about her to keep this place going. Brewer, back of house, and front of house all together.” Lena said. 

“Most of us only work here part-time when we can pick up a few shifts.” 

“So if this isn’t your full-time job, what do you do?” Lena asked before taking a sip of her beer. 

Kara tensed, scared of Lena’s reaction to what she was about to say. “I spent a lot of time as a personal assistant but I’ve just recently made a career change.” 

Lena’s head tilted again and Kara tried very, very hard not to stare at the line of her jaw. “But not to bartending?” 

“No, not to bartending.” Kara forced a smile. “Journalism, actually.” 

“I see.” Lena said, straightening in her seat, moving away from Kara subtly enough that Kara hadn’t realized Lena was leaning toward her to begin with. 

Kara could sense that Lena was on the verge of making her excuses and bolting for the door 

Kara kept talking, hoping it would be enough for Lena to stay. 

“I hate journalists. Most of them, anyway. I want to tell people’s stories, let the world see the real them rather than the story people assume is true. I want to bring light on issues that get covered up by hush money or outright bullying. I want to… I don’t want to be the kind of person who crosses lines to get stories.” 

Lena was still in her seat. 

She was still there. 

Kara added, “I think that we, all of us, are stronger together and I want that to be seen. I don’t think that’s possible if I don’t always, absolutely always, put a person I’m trying to help and their comfort before a story.” 

Lena’s posture eased slightly, her chest rising and falling with a slow, measured breath. 

When Lena finally turned to look at Kara once more, Kara decided to push her luck. 

“Can I get you another round, Seat Three? On me this time.” 

“Willing to buy me a beer?” 

“It’s the least I can do for letting me intrude on your dinner.” 

“Ah but if you buy me a drink, then I’ll feel the need to buy you one. I don’t think that’s how things work around here though, especially not when you’re family.” 

Their eyes locked. 

The ever-present tension built. 

And then Kara asked, “What if you could buy me a drink somewhere else tonight?” 

Lena smiled, her eyes full of relief and something else Kara couldn’t place. “Then I supposed I would let you buy me one.” 

“My shift ends soon, just enough time for you to enjoy another beer here. Would you like the same thing?

“Unless you have something else you think I’ll like more?” 

“More than that? Not a chance. You clearly have great taste.” 

“Because I happen to like your favorites?” 

“Obviously.” 

Lena drained the last of her beer and handed the empty glass to Kara. “Then yes, I will have another of your favorite and you will have successfully trapped me here with free beer.” 

“Gives me some extra time to win you over.” 

“I’m not sure the extra time is necessary.” 

Kara hoped her blush wasn’t quite as noticeable as it felt as she turned to walk down the length of the bar. 

__________

Kara had never clocked out so fast in her whole life. She cared about the brewery, cared about making sure things were where they should be at the end of the night, even if she wasn’t scheduled to close. For any other shift, she would have sat on the other side of the bar, sipping a beer and waiting the additional hour before the bar officially closed and then she would help Winn with the last of the chores for the night. Then they would share a beer with Alex before returning home or venturing to their neighborhood bar. 

With Lena waiting for her, Kara was far more interested in not being anywhere near Alex and Winn. As soon as Kara told them about the drink Lena promised to buy her, Alex and Winn had made it clear that it would be a long, long time before they stopped making a big deal about the fact that Kara was about to go out with Lena Luthor. 

But, in all fairness, it felt like a huge deal to go out with Lena Luthor. 

Not just because of who she was. 

Because of the way their eyes caught on each other’s every few minutes as Kara worked. Because of how Lena smiled in response to Kara’s bad jokes. Because of how, despite the fact that she was talking to _the_ Lena Luthor, Kara felt like she’d just been lucky enough to meet a woman at the bar. A woman who hadn’t technically given Kara a name yet, but that didn’t stop Kara from feeling a fire deep inside her. 

Going out with Lena Luthor felt like a huge deal because as Kara stood outside of the brewery with Lena asking her where they were headed next, some part of Kara knew it absolutely was. 

“Well, Seat Three, I imagine you don’t have a car handy so do you trust me enough to let me drive you somewhere?” 

Grinning, Lena said, “I imagine you aren’t secretly a hitman so sure.” 

“My neighborhood is close, ten minutes or so, and there’s a place I often stop in for a drink after work. It’s definitely more on the dive bar side of the scale but, um,”—Kara’s keys dug into her palm—“it will be quiet and no one will bother you. Us. No one will bother us.” 

Lena’s gaze softened. “I know you know I’m a Luthor.” 

Kara stared, noting the barely contained glimmer of fear in Lena’s eyes. 

She asked, “Do you want me to?” 

A breath. Two. 

“I think I want to see this bar of yours.”

__________

“This feels like a completely different city.” Lena said, looking out over the dark river and up the steep slope on the opposite bank that sat right under the glowing downtown of Metropolis’ center.

Kara locked her car and stood on the bank with Lena. “I know it seems all shiny up there and there are a lot of big businesses filling sky rises and so many people walking down the street in suits and fancy dresses, but I love this side of the city. I love being down here under the bridges where you can see the foundation the city is built on.” 

“Let me buy you a drink and you can tell me about it.” Lena said, winding her arm through Kara’s. 

The bar was less busy than usual which meant that instead of seven people, there were four sitting at the bar when Kara and Lena walked in. 

Kara waived to the other regulars she recognized, each of them turning back to their own drinks after a quick hello. 

“So now that you’re no longer forced to drink beer, what can I get you?” Kara asked. 

Lena shook her head. “The question is what can I get you? I owe you a drink, after all.” 

Before Kara could answer, the bartender greeted them. 

“Whose your friend, Kara?” She asked with a grin as she finished wiping her hands on her bar towel. 

“Hey, M’gann. This is a friend of mine who recently moved to town.” Kara said, only fidgeting slightly with her glasses at the knowing look in M’gann’s eye. 

Before M’gann could ask anything else, Lena smiled kindly and said, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

Kara did not miss the way Lena squeezed her arm. 

Kara knew it was a thank you. 

From M’gann’s look, Kara knew she could add one more person to her list of people who were never going to let her live this down. “The usual for you, Kara?” 

“Please.” 

“Make that two.” Lena added. 

Kara laughed as soon as M’gann walked away. “You sure about that?” 

“Too late now, I guess. But I’ve been impressed with your tastes so far.” 

“Let’s say I’ll be impressed if that holds true now.” 

“That sounds an awful lot like a challenge.” 

Kara shrugged, not entirely able to stop the smile that tugged at her lips. 

When, eventually, two milkshakes were placed in front of her and Lena, Kara couldn’t help but wait for Lena’s reaction. 

“A milkshake?” Lena asked with a laugh. “This is your favorite post-work drink?” 

“Ah, but it’s not finished yet.” Kara said, pointing to M’gann and the bottle she was carrying back toward them. “She still has to add the rum!” 

And it was not a small amount of rum. 

“Cheers?” Kara said, holding up her milkshake. 

Lena touched her glass to Kara’s and Kara would be lying if her heart didn’t flutter slightly at the sheer joy on Lena’s face as she took her first sip. 

Grabbing their drinks, they found a table in the corner, far away from M’gann’s smirk that was prominent enough that Kara started wondering if she should have taken Lena somewhere devoid of people she knew. 

“I have to admit, I would not expect to find a milkshake in a place like this.” 

“I have to admit, it might have been my idea.” 

Lena laughed. 

And she kept laughing as they worked their way through their drinks until Lena eventually couldn’t ignore the persistent buzzing of her phone. 

“I, sorry, I mentioned I would have a file sent to someone tonight so I now need to reassure her that I am okay.” 

“I can’t blame her for wondering if you’ve ventured off into the night with a stranger in your new city.” 

“I’m on the verge of not considering you a stranger, Kara.” 

Kara’s cheeks hurt from how wide she smiled. 

With the first round of drinks finished, Lena insisted on choosing their second round. 

“I would have never considered myself a whiskey drinker.” Kara said, placing her whiskey sour back on the table. 

“I’m sure many would say this drink does not quite make you one but I’ve found it to be refreshing and can often be enjoyable when you don’t have top shelf liquor nearby.” 

“I think this place maxes out at bottom shelf.” 

“Do you like your drink?” 

“I think I might have to admit you’re pretty good at knowing what I like too.” 

Kara’s blush nearly consumed her. 

It was nothing compared to how she reacted when Lena looked at her and said one word. 

“Good.” 

Halfway through their second round, Kara realized Lena was leaning closer, her hands mere inches away from Kara’s fingertips. The conversation flowed so easy, too easy for Kara to think of anything other than how much she was enjoying her night with the woman across the table. 

“So tell me,” Kara began, “what makes you do what you do?”

“Between us?”

“If you don’t mind answering, of course.” 

Lena sipped her drink, her gaze remaining unguarded as she stared over her glass and straight at Kara. 

Lena said after an added pause, “You know, I don’t think I mind at all. I never expected to be in this position. I have always been more of a behind the scenes person, sometimes by choice, many times by force. Given recent… incidents, I’ve decided that all the things I thought about while in the background and all the time I’ve spent on my own projects can lead to change. Change for the better. What was it you said earlier? That people can be stronger together? I believe that too, despite what some say. I want to do something with that belief. I must say though, I never expected people to be so invested in my ideas.”

“I can’t blame them.” 

“So you care about certain current events, huh?” Lena asked with a hint of teasing in her tone. 

“I will admit I have read a few articles. A few scientific journals, too.” 

Hands clasped almost protectively around her drink, Lena asked, “That all?” 

“No, I will admit I think I now care about more than just what I’ve read.” 

Kara knew she was not imagining Lena’s blush. 

__________

The riverbank at night was one of Kara’s favorite spots. M’gann’s bar was only a block away from her apartment and on many nights after she’d gotten off work and after she’d had her post-shift drink, she would walk along its edge before finally turning back home. 

Watching Lena stare up at the bridges overhead made her love the riverbank even more. 

“This is incredible.” Lena said with awe evident in her smile. 

Kara beamed. “I couldn’t bring myself to live anywhere other than this neighborhood.” 

“I can’t say I blame you.” 

Lena halted suddenly, pulling Kara to a stop alongside her as they stared at the glittering reflection of Metropolis in the water. 

“Thank you.” She said. 

Kara nodded slightly, unsure of what to say. Instead, she found Lena’s hand with her own, slowly entwining their fingers together. 

Eventually, Kara spoke. “I’m glad you let me buy you a drink, Seat Three.” 

Lena laughed lightly before nudging her shoulder into Kara’s. “I know I technically already bought you a drink in return. But…” 

“But?” Kara said, brow crinkled. 

Lena was still looking over the water as she said, “I don’t know if you’ve heard about this or not, but there’s a pretty big shakeup happening in the corporate world and a new CEO with an infamous surname is new to town.” 

Kara chuckled. “I might’ve heard something about that.

“Have you also heard she’s refused to give any interviews?” 

Kara went still as Lena looked at her. 

Gulping, Kara said. “I’ve heard something about that too.” 

“Would you like to be the one to change that?” 

“I couldn’t…” 

“I think you could. And I think you would do it well.” 

“I don’t want you to think… This isn’t… Please know I—“ 

Lena smiled softly. “Hush, Kara. I know.” 

“Okay.” 

Lena pulled her phone from her clutch. “Then here, give me your number?” 

Taking the phone, Kara begged herself not to drop it. She entered her number, checked it again, and handed the phone back to Lena. 

“Do I dare hope you’ll text me about more than an interview?” Kara asked. 

“Do I dare hope you want me to?”

“I’m scared to hope for anything more. Tonight has already been amazing.” 

“I was hoping for one more thing.” Lena said, stepping closer. 

The look in Lena’s eye told Kara everything she needed to know about what Lena hoped for. So Kara gave in. 

Kara closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against Lena’s. She relished in Lena’s breathy sigh as Kara ran her thumb along Lena’s jaw, deepening the kiss. Her own hum of pleasure pulled Lena in closer, called their bodies together. 

Lena chased Kara’s lips as Kara pulled away, needing to know the kiss was just as good for Lena as it was for her. 

Lena’s dark eyes and shallow breaths gave her her answer. “It seems you really are good at knowing what I like.”

With her hands finding purchase on Lena’s waist, Kara said, “I usually don’t get a kiss like that on the first date.” 

“First date, huh?” 

“Do you want it to be?” 

Lena wrapped her arms around Kara’s neck as she asked, “If I say yes?” 

“Then I will ask when I can see you again.” 

Lena pressed closer. “First, I want you to say my name.” 

Kara whispered the name against kiss-swollen lips before they lost themselves in each other once more. “Lena.”

**Author's Note:**

> No joke, there really was a llama burger one time. 
> 
> Also, I have used the premise of this story as a bit of a writing exercise. So if you're interested,  
> [I also wrote a Clexa version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25493812).


End file.
